Since the CAA finally announced details of its Drone Registration and Education Scheme (DRES) last week we have published several explanatory notes both on the BMFA website and directly to members by email.  However, the flurry of correspondence and comments on various forums and groups suggests that there is still considerable misunderstanding of the scheme and ill-feeling in some quarters about what the BMFA has been doing to support its members.  From the outset, the UK model flying Associat...

Further to the announcement earlier this week, we will be working with the CAA to clarify the detail of how we can best assist our members to comply with the Registration and Competency requirements which were introduced in the 2018 changes to the Air Navigation Order and become law on the 30th November 2019 for those operating unmanned aircraft. The changes to the law are in part to address established issues arising from unlawful operation, but also to help facilitate the wider integration of...

The CAA have just published the following update: https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Unmanned-aircraft/Our-role/Drone-and-model-aircraft-registration/ which is provided in full below: The UK’s new Drone and Model Aircraft Registration and Education Scheme will go live on 5 November 2019 (please note that you cannot register before this date). There will be two elements to the online system. Anyone responsible for a drone or unmanned aircraft (including model aircraft) weighing between 250g and ...

EASA have now published documents outlining their Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) in support of the EU regulations for unmanned aircraft. The documents can be found here: https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/agency-decisions/ed-decision-2019021r The AMC for Article 14 includes our suggested provision to permit registration numbers to be carried inside a model aircraft, which is consistent with what we agreed recently with the DfT/CAA.  “If the size of th...

The Science and Technology Parliamentary Select Committee will today publish their report into ‘commercial and recreational drone use in the UK'. The BMFA provided several written inputs to the Committee on behalf of the UK model flying associations and BMFA CEO Dave Phipps appeared before the committee on the 9th July to provide oral evidence. We are pleased to report that the Committee have incorporated many of the comments we provided as well as a number of comments submitted directly by m...

Further to our previous update of 11th September (https://bmfa.org/News/News-Page/ArticleID/2610/An-update-on-the-UK-regulations-for-model-flyers-a-bit-of-good-news-at-last ). There is no real change to the situation as published.  All parties are currently awaiting the outcome of the Secretary of State’s deliberations on the matter and there is little we can add until we receive this. What we can confirm however is that the DRES scheme will not be rolled out on the 1st October (it seems unli...

It is with great sadness that we hear of the passing of Peter Rabjohn in the early hours of Saturday 21st September 2019. Peter had been receiving treatment for a heart condition for many years, but a recent deterioration finally beat him.  He was a keen Control Line Model Flyer and member of both Chiltern Flyers CLMC and the Milton Keynes Modellers club. He will be especially remembered by many for competing in various racing classes, aerobatics competitions, and vintage speed events.  Only a...

On Thursday 19th of September Les Ormrod, a long time member of our club, died after a short  stay in hospital. Les  was a very friendly person who easily got along with everyone. Les had varied interests, but his main passion was aircraft of which he had a large collection. I  don't think  there was an aircraft  built  that he didn't  like! Les was often accompanied to the field by his wife, Betty, who also took a keen interest in his pursuits. Les was liked by everyone, and will be keenly miss...

I published an update on the BMFA website on 23rd August (https://bmfa.org/News/News-Page/ArticleID/2608/An-update-on-the-UK-regulations-for-model-flyers ) which provided a summary of our position at that time. This was also going to be the basis of my article for the forthcoming issue of the BMFA NEWS. However, the very next day I received a telephone call to tell me that the new Secretary of State for Transport (the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP) had picked up the case for us and would ‘be in touch...

Mike Knapp, Chairman of the Beaufort Model Flying Club, passed away on 11th August 2019 aged 84 after a short illness. The Beaufort MFC was formed in the early 70s and steadily expanded to become one of the largest in the Western Area. Mike joined the club in the early 80s and, with his son Ivor, flew a wide range of models. Mike and Ivor were early ‘Bishops’ and flew exciting fast IC powered models in duo routines. Mike was a skilful model builder and an early and enthusiastic convert to elec...